The Duke basketball squad may be fully recovered for their game against North Carolina on Saturday (6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Regarding center Maliq Brown’s possible return for the eagerly awaited rivalry game, head coach Jon Scheyer has been silent. On the other hand, his status might have been hinted at on the team’s social media.
Duke posted images from Friday’s practice that appeared to show Brown taking part in defensive drills during the contact portion of the session.
Maliq Brown took part in non-contact drills at Wednesday’s practice, according to Jon Scheyer’s statement on Thursday. “On Saturday, we’ll assess if there’s a genuine possibility he could play,”
Scheyer said. Brown has missed the last four games after sustaining a knee sprain early in Duke’s victory over Notre Dame.
He did, however, demonstrate improvement in his recuperation by participating in warm-ups prior to Monday’s game against NC State.
While Brown’s numbers (2.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game) aren’t eye-catching, his defensive versatility has been a key absence for Duke. In his place, freshman center Khaman Maluach has taken on a larger role, while rookie forward Patrick Ngongba II has emerged as a promising contributor. Graduate student Mason Gillis has also seen time at center during Brown’s absence.
North Carolina, which has struggled in the frontcourt this season, is also dealing with an injury. Center Jalen Washington (6-foot-10) was hurt in the Tar Heels’ overtime win against Boston College and missed their loss to Pittsburgh.
Head coach Hubert Davis said Washington was expected to practice Thursday but did not confirm his availability for Saturday’s game.
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